California's $15M Mansions Are Sliding Into the Ocean — And No One Can Save Them

The Greater Portuguese Bend landslide in Rancho Palos Verdes is moving again. 12 homes on Peartree Lane slid in 3 days in 2023, power and gas were cut to 240+ homes, and the city is now pursuing FEMA buyouts for 27 homes while banning all new construction in the zone. This is not just a landslide story. It's a money story. In this video we break down: Why bentonite clay under Portuguese Bend turns to soap when wet, and why NASA radar shows the slide is now twice the size of the 2007 state map Why 11 dewatering wells pumping 145M gallons only bought time — drill data shows the slide is 300ft deep near the coast, almost 2x the old model Who pays: standard home insurance pays $0 for earth movement, the city has spent $61.5M with federal aid denied, and reserves run out in FY 2027-2028 How owners survive on a moving floor: $700K+ to lift one house, steel beams, off-grid generators + solar + propane, pond liners to block water Why Wayfarer Chapel had to be disassembled piece by piece, and why the Sept 2025 Margarite Drive collapse proves the danger is spreading Sources: City of Rancho Palos Verdes updates, USGS / NASA InSAR, FEMA buyout filings. #landslide #portuguesebend #palosverdes #california #realestate